21 September 2007

Remember back in August when a heavy rain brought the center of the universe to its knees? Well I guess the MTA is now implementing "corrective action plans for top flood-prone locations" by designing some hot new street furniture to "raise vent heights to prevent water inflow." Uh, yeah, what he said.

Last week the MTA, NYCT, and NYCDOT co-sponsored a design contest with a few of the top urban designers to help develop solutions to the flooding problem. And who doesn't love a good artists rendering of the future? (pics stolen from Gothamist)

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

Antenna Design, Grimshaw Architects, and Rogers Marvel Architects all came up with ideas for the Queens Boulevard F train on Hillside Avenue, which suffered some of the worst flooding back in August.

According to the top-secret August 8 storm report, the "MTA has already begun to work with the city and the Art Commission, which reviews all such street fixtures" and expects to follow the "more formal review process to come up with a final product that works for all" in the next 30 days.

OK, but heres the best part, click on those drawings up there... how fucking skater-friendly are those things!? Especially the Rogers Marvel design.